Mid-South rice this week - June 2, 2014

As the week began, Mid-South rice planting was nearing completion. USDA reported that as of May 24, planting was 95 percent complete in Arkansas, 99 percent in Louisiana, 91 percent in Mississippi, and 95 percent in Missouri.

Then rains set in Tuesday and continued through the week.

Many rice fields in Arkansas were on the verge of being ready for a permanent flood as the rain system approached, says Jarrod Hardke, Arkansas Extension rice agronomist.

“The short window to make both preflood herbicide applications and preflood nitrogen applications likely led some to wait until the system passed to move forward.” A big jump in flooded acreage will occur this week if farmers can get the ground dry enough to fertilize, he says.

Rice disease management checklist

LSU AgCenter’s Don Groth provides a checklist (10 questions I should ask before applying a fungicide) to help farmers deal with diseases in their fields. Find answers to questions such as “What disease is in my field?” and “Is my fungicide timing correct” in the latest Rice Disease Newsletter.

Delayed phytotoxicity syndrome

Groth also discusses severe herbicide damage to rice. If your rice is suffering from delayed phytotoxicity syndrome, find out what measures to take in the Rice Disease Newsletter.

Sheath blight management

Conditions are right for the development of sheath blight in rice, says Yeshi Wamishe, Arkansas Extension rice plant pathologist. He provides information for identifying sheath blight and what you can do to manage it in Pointers for sheath blight management.

Three rice field days in June

Rice farmers can learn about LSU’s AgCenter research projects that can help them produce better crops more efficiently at three field days in June. Find out which one best fits your schedule at LSU AgCenter’s three rice field days.